"Josie, that's not what I said, please don't put words into my mouth. Please."

"We'll you're not really giving me another option than just to assume."

"That's not what I am trying to do."

"Then talk to me, so I don't have to."

"I don't want to reach my emotions right now."

"Try."

I am getting slightly annoyed, the image of her and Finch laughing like everything is normal is still very present in my mind. I want to get a reaction out of her.

"Fine, you actually want to know?"

"Yes, I just want to try to help."

"Okay sure, how about we talk about assumptions. I woke up and you were nowhere to be seen, not a trace of you left. I got overwhelmed and went for a run and way overexerted myself, which is why I'm not feeling much, and then when I come back I see you and Finch all touchy feely, god forbid I didn't want to talk. Oh and then the fact that you assumed I didn't care about you when the only reason we're here now is because I obviously care too much."

She looks angry. She has to take a deep breath while closing her eyes before she even starts speaking.

"Cypress, you're the one who said we're just kids having fun."

Ah. I have realized my mistake.

My head sinks with the realization and she notices. Of course she does.

"Cypress hey." She says softly but I don't move from my position.

"Is that why you turned away from me last night?" I say head still hanging, not willing to meet her eyes.

She gently takes my jaw into her hand to lift up my eyes. She's always so gentle.

She sees the emotion I have on my face now. It's guilty I know it is.

Josie grabs my hands and starts leading me out of the kitchen.

"Take me to where you were."

So I do, we walk about 8 minutes away from the school into the clearing I know so well.

"I'm sorry I didn't realize how my words came out last night."

"Cypress it's okay I should have spoken up, but my heart sank."

Now I feel extremely guilty.

"Hey, hey look at me. It's not your fault."

Josie rests her hand on my cheek and starts moving her thumb over my cheekbone in soothing strokes.

She leads me over to a patch of grass, on the way over I see the punching bag I was working so hard on before with patches of blood. So much to where there's dry drops going down. Frozen in place from when I left it.

Josie lays down on the patch of grass so I follow the action and lay down beside her.

"I'm not mad and I want to start with that. What made you say that last night? How did you go from being so caring and giving me a night I will never forget, to teenagers having fun?"

I take in a deep breath of the humid air. Not really relieving my lungs, but giving me extra time to formulate an answer.

"I don't know honestly there's a lot of things. Pen, I can't do this to her. It's not right she is going to be in love with you forever. Then there's the fact that I don't think I could be that for you, Josie I have never had a relationship I haven't run away from. Then there's the part where I don't even know if you like me, I mean really Josie, this happened so fast. You just went through a lot, and listen to me when I say this, I don't mean this in any offense to you but how do I know that this isn't a feeling that is actually something else. I am willing to be there for you in any way but I would rather skip through any heartbreak, so I need to know how you're feeling."

"Is that why you ruined your knuckles?"

"What?"

"Because your head was filled with all of that and we didn't talk it through like we should have in the first place? Because you didn't know how I was feeling and I left before you got the chance to ask?"

"I guess I see our mistakes."

"You think?" She asks with a smirk. She continues "No but really, we should just be more honest with each other, so ask me questions I'll answer them honestly and I will do the same with you? Can we do that?"

"Yeah can we please."

"Okay you go first."

"Alright, do you think we moved fast?"

"Cypress, all we have done is dance and kiss. I think you're freaking yourself out a little."

"But you just broke up with Finch."

"Yeah, and Listen, I was on a rope for most of that time, and I know that, but I just wanted to feel loved, and Finch was there at a low point for me. I am not saying I am proud of myself for that, but I also think you saw that I wasn't treated the best."

"Do you feel that way for me? The way you did when you met Finch."

"I don't even think that's possible. I went to her when all I wanted was a new face in my life, she was that. I still feel that way, like I want a fresh start. You're lovely but why would I choose you if I was looking for that? You've known me since I was 12, you were like family to my ex-girlfriend and you have a strong connection to this school. It wouldn't make any sense."

"I see the points you have made."

"Good, my turn. Do you feel like you want a relationship?"

"I mean I think I do." I answer honestly.

"Would you be completely able to let go of those scary thoughts and try one. Like actually try one, not running away from it at the first sign of danger."

"I think I can now after what you just told me. I am willing to try for you as long as you're on the same page, we will probably have a lot of obstacles."

"Cypress, can I tell you something?"

"Always."

"When you got here I liked Hope. I didn't want to like her but I did. Then some stuff went down and suddenly I was giving a tour to two new girls. One was the perfect distraction with her stupid confidence."

"I remember that day, you and Pen were arguing the whole time. I remember being so annoyed."

"I do too, but Penelope is not the one that I am talking about."

I give her a confused stare. "But you were like kid flirting with her the whole time."

"I mean come on Cypress, is it really that hard to imagine. I remember continuing to push Penelope's buttons because that was the reaction I wanted to get out of you. It was the only time you would look at me and with Lizzie getting to walk you around with her arm hooked in yours I had to get your attention somehow. Then that didn't even work so I tried to find something that would."

"You could have come over to talk to me, Lizzie and I weren't even talking. I would say we were tolerating each other."

"Well I don't have wolf hearing so I didn't know that. Plus I tried, remember when I would try to talk to you in class?"

"When you would give me your notes because I was new, I thought you were just being nice."

"Cypress when I was in school, I was a goody two shoes, especially at that age. I gave no one my notes."

"So that was you trying to flirt with me?" I ask in a teasing tone.

"Cypress I was 12, talking to an older new mysterious wolf that already had respect in the pack after a month of being there. I didn't know what I was doing. Then when Penny and I became friends, yeah I thought she was fun, but maybe just a bit of me was hoping you would want to hang out with us. But that didn't happen, and I ended up falling for Penelope instead."

"Dammit Josie. I wish you would have had a better flirting tactic."

"Why?" She says through a laugh.

"Because I thought you were really cool. A pretty brunette witch who gave me her notes when I was struggling, yeah of course I had a crush on you, but I thought you were just being genuinely nice."

"You had a crush on me?"

"Yeah you were fiery, and genuine, and smart. How could I not. And I really don't like third wheeling, but it might have had something to do with the fact that I still held you in such high regards. But you can not tell Pen that."

"Tell Pen what?"

"That it was actually me that you had your eyes on. She used to tell me how much you liked her as soon as you guys started hanging out."

"Really? Because that kinda makes me want to tell her."

"Fair point. But why are you telling me this exactly?"

"Well you asked if I would be willing to give this a chance, even with the obstacles we might have, and that's my answer. Even after all these years you still carry yourself the same way, so if I found it and you attractive back then I still do now, so yes I am on board completely."

"Hey Jos?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I kiss you?"

"Yes. Please do."

I gather my weight onto my elbow to lift myself up and face her. I want to show my appreciation for her getting me to open up. Not many people try.

I lean in slowly focusing on her lips, she starts leaning in for me too. But I swerve last second and start peppering her face with kisses.

She starts giggling.

"That's not what I meant." she says through a laugh

"Really?" kiss "Then what" kiss "Did you" kiss "Mean?" kiss.

"I meant this."

She grabs each side of my face stilling my movements and gives me a brief look in the eyes before quickly leaning in and kissing my lips.

It takes me by surprise so I gasp a bit and she takes that move and slips her tongue into my mouth.

I finally let myself enjoy it. She's battling my tongue and I let her win but not without making a move myself.

I grab her waist and pull her on top of me so that she is now straddling me, we never break the kiss in the process.

All I can focus on is the fact that she tastes like strawberries, then she rakes her nails down my stomach and now I can't focus at all.

My muscles harden under her hand and I put my head back just from the surprise. She disconnects from my mouth and I hear her let out a light laugh before she starts placing open mouth kisses on my neck.

This is a lot more sensory action than I am used to and also being a new vampire doesn't help. I let out a light groan.

"You know I wasn't expecting you to be all hot and bothered by a bit of touching."

My wolf doesn't like that comment. I can feel it.

I flip her over now that I am on top and lean in towards her neck before sliding my nose from her neck to her ear. I feel her shiver.

"I'm not." I whisper into her ear close enough that my lips graze it with each word.

I quickly get off of her and I can hear her groan out of frustration.

"Actually I am tired." I state in a nonchalant tone. 

She looks at me like I made a bad joke.

"Cypress were in the middle of the woods."

"I know." I say as I wrap my arms around her thigh and rest my head on her leg. "That's why you're here, you're my pillow."

"No no, we're not doing this."

"Jos, I can't hear you, I am sleeping."

"Cypress the ground," I kiss her thigh innocently, well mostly, and she takes an inhale in "is wet."

"You didn't seem to mind before." I say teasingly.

"Fine, but let's go take a nap in bed if you're tired."

"One condition."

"Yeah?"

"You are still my pillow."

"Fine."

We head back into the Salvatore school hand in hand, people are watching but I don't care. I actually have not felt this happy in a very long time. We lay down in my bed and I cuddle into her.

"You're adorable, Cypress."

I let a smile slip through because of the affection in that comment.

And when we fall asleep my head on her chest, it's blissful and calm.